A New Year

 

There were sad times 

Leaving sadness behind

Making new plans

Plan a  Garden.

Read a good book.

Plan a trip.

Catch up with friends.

Wishing you, my dear friends,  a 

 New Year filled with happiness and good health.

Gina

Skating at your own risk

 

I'll put on the Ice Skater's Waltz

Champagne is on ice.

I'm already celebrating, 

Gina 

Snow, the Artificer

 

Many reasons to celebrate.

After many months of no moisture, it finally snowed.  

It snowed for 2 days. 

And more snow is coming

Evening light. Snow is falling in the mountains.

That is where it is needed. 

Today is a good day.  

Vaccines are arriving. 

Gina 

White, the other Christmas color

 

Christmas and white Orchids are made for each other.

White Moth Orchid

White Amaryllis

  

White, with just a touch of gold  for your Christmas table.

Paperwhites

grown inside.

A bouquet of white roses.

I remember making these easy butonnieres
for all the gentlemen who were also  guests at 

the Geyerhof in Sopra Bolzano, Italy,

,

a Galax leaf and a single flower.

Your florist will order Galax leaves for you.  They last many months in your cooler. 

You can make many Tussie Mussies with them. 

They make charming gifts. 

Happy planning dear friends. 

Gina

Ice is treacherous.

 Recently I watched heroic humans rescue dogs, horses, deer, elk and more, from ponds, lakes  and icy streams.

 Two pieces of wood, a string and two nails could save your life. 

Two pieces of wood and a string, with a long nail at the end, 

will pull you on top of the ice. 

If you live near frozen waters you must have one of these in the ready.  Wear it around your neck and if you should fall through the ice, these handles can pull you up and on top to thicker ice.  

Just in case and near our pond, we keep a boat for open water, a rake to reach with, a large inner tube with a long rope attached, and what could be a lifesaver...a simple string with two wooden handles. 

In Alaska,  travelers on snowmobiles, are never without this simple device always wearing it around their neck.

No snow yet but plenty of treacherous ice.

Have a great week my dear friends

Gina

The elusive Fliegenpilz

 

It was a fine and sunny Sunday morning in the Italian Dolomites

We were hiking in the Dolomites, near Soprapolzano (Oberbozen) Italy when 

two handsome young Wald Polizei Officers (Forest Wardens) came charging down a mountain, ready to arrest us. 

Are you hunting mushrooms? Yes

 Now we WE MUST ARREST YOU! 

But dear officers, what I meant was that I am hunting mushrooms with my camera. I am looking for the elusive little Fliegenpilz. You see it was Sunday and picking mushrooms is VERBOTEN on Sundays. 

We had a difficult time convincing the officers that we were looking for Fliegenpilze to photograph. They noted that there were no Fliegenpilze in the area. They were almost right because these two were hiding very nicely. 

The amanita muscari toadstool is known to many children. It is so attractive but oh so poisonous.

 Did you know that this mushroom can be used as an insecticide? It kills flies if crushed and then sprinkled with milk. 

 Siberian Shamans use them for inducing a condition, similar to extreme alcohol intoxication. 

Often poisonous plants can also be used as medicine...could they be a cure? 

But for what? 

Stay healthy and happy dear friends, 

Gina 

A very pleasant Christmas chore.

Pomanders the quintessential Christmas decoration.

Pierce oranges with toothpicks first, then insert cloves.  Makes for quick and easy work.

Pomanders have long been a Holiday tradition. Their fragrance  fills the house with Christmas  cheer.  

 Making Pomanders is a perfect project for children and grown ups alike. 

Use a sturdy toothpick to punch little holes into oranges, lemons or limes. Insert whole cloves into fruit. Cover  entire fruit with cloves in different patterns.  Spice-rich aroma will fill your house. 

Pomanders will keep for years. 

 Place them into a bowl and toss in a mixture of powdered 

cinnamon, 

nutmeg,

allspice and cloves.

Cover completely, turn often

 making  sure you have enough of the spice mixture to cover fruit. In about two weeks your finished pomanders can be hung into closets or cupboards.

Pomanders make lovely Christmas presents. 

Have fun , Gina. 

https://betweennapsontheporch.net/

Friends are worth their weight in gold.

The Florist brought them.

Because it was my Birthday.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Gina

Hyrum's sheep

This big guy has a name. 

I must ask Hyrum

Several years ago, on my daily walks,  I came upon a special place. 

Maybe you will remember my telling you about a very special family.

https://ginaceramics.blogspot.com/2014/11/cairns.html

A family of 8 children,  all of them born at home, 

all of them home schooled. 

They built these cairns. 

They built them just because.

That was six years ago.  All have grown up.  All of them,  boys and girls alike,  have joined the Spring City Volunteer Fire Department and all of them are  certified EMT's. 

One of the children and now a handsome young man,  comes by and helps me for an hour a week. 

Hyrum also helps other locals, works in the local Cafe, and goes to college on top of that.  All this he does on his bicycle.  

Other family members are just as hard working. 

We work together. Hyrum is always finished before I am,  

On his own he begins a new chore. 

Hyrum works harder and more intelligently than 10 others.  

And why am I showing you these sheep?  

They are Hyrum's and I am taking care of them for a little while, 

long enough for them to eat the field bare. 

All I have to do is brake the ice every morning in their water trough. 

The sheep are doing me a favor.  They are grazing down the field next to the house.  Reducing the chance of the field catching on fire. 

Speaking of fire....

Happy Thanksgiving, 

Gina 

This new clue will do the trick.

Dear Friends, please try again. 

Another new clue.

One side is pretty the other side does the work.

Have a great week dear friends, 

Gina

Addendum

I call my invention "Fancy Feet".  They are made of clay and measure 2 by 6 inches each.  After painting them with Italian powder pigments they are then glazed and my secret formula is applied to the working side.  They are then fired, in my kiln, to 2,000.00 degrees Fahrenheit to last many lifetimes. 

Be happy, be safe, 

    Gina

An experiment turns into a moneymaker.

It's called Serendipity.

Can you guess what these are? 

I have painted hundreds of these

Sometimes they have names

Always over-the-top simple designs.

No two are alike.

Clue: A beauty product, it has two sides to it.

Comment Moderation is in place. 

Let me know if you need more clues.

New clue:  It is hand held but when not in use it can hang in your bathroom.

Another new clue.

One side is pretty the other side does the work.

Have a great week dear friends, 

Gina

So. so very sad.

 Clyde lost his mate.  Lola stopped eating. 

Lola on the right. 

Geese live for more than forty years. 

Clyde is inconsolable

They were so happy and for so many years. 

I'm going scouting this morning.  I've seen a few geese about town. 

There is only one problem; will Clyde accept a new friend. 

Stay well, be happy, 

Gina